Sermon 2 Timothy 4:6-18 The Lord Stood at My Side

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon 2 Timothy 4:6-18 The Lord Stood at My Side

October 27, 2013

I am concluding today with our look at the two letters Paul sent to Timothy. So far we have listened as Paul told Timothy how to minister to his church. Prayers for everyone, worship, and Bible study with faithful teachers are all crucial both for spiritual growth and for discerning true from false teachings. Today we will see something very different. The Apostle Paul is facing his own problems and he needs help. He needs partners to help him in his ministry. And he has physical needs for a warm cloak to survive prison in the coming winter. Paul wants Timothy to come to Rome at once. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

1 Timothy 4 6-18 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul knows that his ministry is coming to an end. Just as we remember Jesus' death on the cross when we gather at the communion table so too will Paul's blood be spilled. He is sustained though all of this by his faith in Jesus Christ knowing that his sins will be forgiven and his relationship with God has been restored. So he can look forward with confidence that the Lord Jesus will be at his side through his trials, imprisonment, and execution. And he is assured that he will live in the presence of God forever.

This is the great Christian hope that we all have as believers. We are mortal, and like Paul will face our own end. But we too can be assured that the righteousness of Jesus Christ will be given to us. We will be clothed in his righteousness so that we will not face judgment when we approach the throne of God.

But as Paul approaches his own death his concern is not for himself, but for the church he has established. So he has sent his inner circle to continue his ministry. Crescens has been sent into northern Italy and France to start churches. Titus has been sent to the Adriatic and into modern day Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tychicus has been sent to Ephesus with this letter from Paul to pastor that church allowing Timothy to come to Rome. Sadly, Demas has left the faith and returned to Thessalonica.

This is all in fulfillment of Jesus' command to the church. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) We are the result of the work of Crescens, Titus, Tychicus and others who have continued Paul's work of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear it. And this is our mission as well. We, the church of Jesus Christ, are to continue Paul's work by inviting people in our community to come to worship, pray and study scripture with us. And we can assured that our Lord Jesus Christ will stand with us as we do these things.

Paul has sent out most of his inner circle to churches. But there are some things and some people he still needs with him in Rome. There are two young men he wants nearby, Luke and Mark. Church tradition tells us that these two wrote the second and third gospels. Paul also needs his own scrolls and books. And since this work, and Paul's imprisonment will probably last through the winter months Paul needs his winter cloak, a heavy woolen garment with a hole in the center for his head. With his library and these two writers Paul is ready to begin work on the New Testament, which along with the Old Testament forms the Christian Bible and is the foundation of our faith.

Timothy is to get Mark and proceed to Troas to pickup Paul's winter coat and library. But Paul has warned him to avoid a blacksmith named Alexander. We don't know exactly what Alexander has done, but he may have been the reason for Paul's arrest in Troas. And so Timothy must stay away from him.

Ministry always has opponents. The devil has many ways to keep a church from growing. Yesterday, Donna Bowers was ordained as a Teaching Elder, Pastor, of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. serving Crossroad International Fellowship in Princess Anne. A week before, her husband, Kevin, the pastor of the church in Milford had a stroke. I believe that this was the work of the devil trying to stop Donna's ministry before it even starts. We have to be on guard for whatever Satan is doing to prevent us from spreading the gospel and growing our church. But we can be confident that our Lord Jesus Christ is standing at our side.

We also need prayer for Wilson and Cora Ladringan who visited us last month. They are back in the Philippines, and I received this letter from them this week.

“Dear friends at ANM,

The Lord is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1.

Calamities are happening left and right here in our country. Many people were injured and died. Many homes and properties were destroyed and wiped out. We have seen on TV the big boulders and stones coming down from the mountain and killed many people unaware in their houses. This was the very strong earthquake that happened in Bohol at the southern Philippines. It is a terrible sight to see children crying looking for their parents, and parents in panic looking for their children. Because of too much trauma, many people were depressed, their faces blank and staring far away. Some lost their minds. What are happening? For us Christian believers we know what are happening. We are not surprised to hear all these calamities as they were all foretold in the Holy Scriptures. The big question is that - Are we ready for the coming of the Lord?

We are very thankful to the Lord that no one was hurt here at the Aeta Children's Home during the floods and landslides brought by the recent typhoon. We have witnessed the horrible landslide that happened just near the ACH killing 5 members of a family instantly. They just woke up in the morning and preparing for their breakfast when suddenly, the mountain near them collapsed and buried them alive. Two of those who died are scheduled to be married. Their wedding was the coming Friday, but sadly they did not reach the most awaited day.

We just do not know what will happen next. But we know one thing...that we have Christ Jesus in our hearts. We have His promise that He will be with us until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20). We entrust to Him our lives, our future, our destiny. We praise, adore, worship Him in good times and in bad times, in peace and in calamities. We declare our unwavering faith to Him. To Him be all the honor, glory and praise!

In response to the situation, we went to the Aeta villages and ministered to the spiritual and physical needs of the Aeta people. We distributed foods, fed the children and adults, provided medicines to the sick, and most of all, share the Word of God to them. Praise God that no one of them was hurt in the recent typhoon. Landslides happened but God has protected them. Praise the Lord …

Please continue to pray for us. There are still lot of needs and work to do but we look, depend and fully trust the Lord for everything. This is His work and vision not our work and vision and so, we believed that He will provide and help us pursue the vision. Praise the Lord! Thank you so very much for your faithful partnership. As we always tell you, you are God's wonderful blessings to us and His work here. Moses prayer on Deut. 1:11 is always our prayers for you. God bless.

Pressing on toward the mark,

Wilson and Cora Ladringan"

And so the church of Jesus Christ, started by the Apostle Paul stills needs our prayers, our good works, and our financial support. Please keep Donna and Kevin, and Wilson and Cora in your prayers. And be assured that Our Lord Jesus Christ is standing with them.

Father in heaven, we ask your blessings upon Donna and Kevin and their ministries in Milford and Princess Anne. Bless them with good health and bless their churches as their pastors go though this. We also ask for blessings on Cora and Wilson and on their ministry in the Philippines. Bless them in their recovery efforts. We ask that the Lord Jesus stand at their sides. Amen.